Has Fox News Gone Soft? Hannity Staff Remains Unpunished

by Steve Krakauer | 3:19 pm, April 26th, 2010

» 24 comments

After Fox News was forced to pull the plug on Sean Hannity‘s tax day tea party show because organizers were charging for tickets, it sounded like serious repercussions were on the horizon for the show’s staff.

But according to multiple reports, no action has been taken. Has the notoriously no-nonsense network gone soft?

Roger Ailes was said to be personally furious about the perception FNC was endorsing the tea party that Hannity was attending, and one report pointed to former Hannity producer and current SVP at Fox News Bill Shine as protecting his buddy Hannity. But we hear John Finley, Hannity’s current Executive Producer, is also under Shine’s shield, which could be why no punishment has been handed down for the screw-up. (Staffers called Finley Shine’s “toady” – a phrase used to describe Shine and Hannity’s relationship by Debbie Schlussel.)

It was only a few months ago when FNC management, annoyed by mistakes, instituted a zero tolerance policy. This came about because of something else that happened during Hannity’s hour – playing incorrect crowd footage that made it look like a conservative rally was larger than it actually was. This came two months after a producer was punished for pumping up a 9/12 rally crowd.

Hannity is a big star at Fox News, and someone who has been with the network since the year Fox News launched. He may not personally be held responsible here, but there is likely someone on his staff who knew about the tickets being sold – and knew it wouldn’t sit well with corporate. With no punishment handed down, this looks like a case of Fox News sweeping the incident under the rug.

With MSNBC kicking anchors off the air for far less, FNC’s next move takes on greater significance.

An FNC spokesperson this morning wouldn’t elaborate beyond the comment made to New York magazine last week about not discussing internal matters any further.

• Hannity is out sick from his TV/radio show today. He tweeted:

Hey everyone- I’m sorry but I won’t be doing radio or tv today. Not feeling well and my wife and older sisters are making me go to the doc.

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Bill Shine, fnc, fox news, Hannity, John Finley, Roger Ailes, Sean Hannity

MichelleF

Or perhaps steve, you made a bigger deal out of it than it was:

http://www.riehlworldview.com/carnivorous_conservative/tea-party/

scroll down to where is says: Update: Fox And The Cincy Tea Party

Sometimes, you need to do a little follow up! Maybe next time you will do that, instead of sticking with the template you like best.
http://mediaite.com Steve Krakauer

Fox News sent home Hannity and staff just hours before the show was supposed to start. Maybe THEY made a bigger deal out of it, but I haven’t. It became a big deal when that occurred.
MichelleF

I agree with that part. I think they did jump the gun, but does that mean you couldn’t have done some follow-up reasearch before wondering why no head’s have rolled?
MichelleF

Maybe a better heaadline would be : Did Fox overreact when they chastised hannity?”
Olby Sucks

Steve, didn’t olbermann say that you were in the pockets of Fox News? LOL!
felixw

Hey, a major difference between Fox and MSNBC is that the former is run by people who believe in laissez-faire democracy and the latter is controlled by those who prefer an all-powerful intrusive state apparatus. So of course the measures are more punitive at MSNBC.
roxsteady

Fox is full of shit! What punishment did Hannity get for getting caught twice, inflating the crowd estimates at the teabagger reach around rallys? He got hammered by Jon Stewart but, fox didn’t do a damn thing. And that response that Murdoch gave to the guy who asked if fox should be promoting tea parties was hysterical. Has he ever actually watched that network?
The Real Royal King

I have to agree that pulling Hannity back, at the last moment, was a really big deal. And, Ailes is correct. The prevailing perception is that FOX is a Tea Party sponsor.

I’m not so sure that the doctored footage showing far greater attendance at two rallies wasn’t even more significant.

But, then, as Felix suggests, the principles of laissez-faire come in here. We cannot tolerate any restraint on doctored photos during the news, nor can we limit (what is surely FOX-earned revenues) going into Tea Party coffers. Wouldn’t be fair and balanced if we were to do that.

(I’d be irritated if Hannity getting caught with his pants down weren’t so funny.)
The Real Royal King

Has he[Murdoch] ever actually watched that network?

—

No, in his position, he needs to have his hands on the news. The real news. The facts. He listens to NPR and watches PBS.
MichelleF

roxsteady, so can I assume that when the main stream media deflates the number of people at rallies, you are equally as outraged?
The Real Royal King

Did that happen, Michelle? I am not disputing that it may have, but I don’t recall that. Or, is this just a rhetorical question?
m

Why would Fox News punish Hannity? They only stopped this thing going on with Hannity’s show because they had to – not because they wanted to.
valkyrie101

Why doesn’t FOX just drop the pretense and embrace the notion that its news department is running a reality show, and FOX revenue is increased by its commentators promoting it?
The Real Royal King

Or, just admit it is a network of conservative and far right wing commentary. It is the pretense, not the slant that troubles me.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Bill-Adkins/1585417987 Bill Adkins

Don’t give a damn about Hannity, but I’ve enjoyed the twisting in the wind and damage done to the Cincy Tea party. The in-fighting and the finger pointing here in Cincinnati have amused me greatly.
MichelleF

I’m getting tired of doing this, but here goes, according to recent polls, the public finds FOX the most trusted name in NEWS. I know that hurts, but take off the rose-colored glasses for a sec.
Big_F-ing_Deal

Punishing Sean would just draw more attention to an already embarrassing situation for Fox. Best to just sweep it under the rug.
valkyrie101

Exactly, Royal. More power to FOX, but be honest, because unless FOX is cleverly just running an amazing Stephen Colbert routine, the “fair and balanced” moniker is virtually self parody. I look at Fox and see the network that gave us awesome sports, amazing parody, and always cutting edge titilation, Murdochs famous sports pages, all the gossip, and that “Page 3″ girl. The Simpsons? Eat my shorts man. Married with Children, and imagine that Fox News is more entertainment than anything else. Good, fascinating entertainment. Is there anything wrong with that? Nope. Cool, in fact. Does FOX News promote the tea party for ratings? Without question. That is the game.
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annejaa

I think there is not a big deal for Fox but its just for publicity of the show because they know very well that the show will not popular more but by coming in news like this,people will definitely eager to watch what will happen next.I think its all fixed by Fox.
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sponge bob

MichelleF says:
April 26, 2010 at 4:28 pm
” roxsteady, so can I assume that when the main stream media deflates the number of people at rallies, you are equally as outraged? ”

The Real Royal King says:
April 26, 2010 at 5:03 pm
” Did that happen, Michelle? I am not disputing that it may have, but I don’t recall that. Or, is this just a rhetorical question? ”

CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield

“Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin there in Searchlight, Nev., was the backyard of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, but today it’s the backdrop of this Tea Party Express – making a stop here,” Whitfield said. “Hundreds of people, at least dozens of people – we haven’t gotten a count of how many people turned out there. ”

Politico’s Kenneth Vogel had a little higher number, saying “an estimated 20,000 tea partiers gathered for a rally in a windswept desert lot,” in his March 27 report
jackypond

You say very perfect thing to us I am very glad about this thing It is really cool information for me.I am agree with you that Fox now going soft.
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drex94

Fox cant Fire Vannity….he is their Rush WindBaugh ……full of hot air, but- older white people love him and thus that equals: RATINGS!!!!!